Drilling machine



Sept. 8, 1931.

DRILLING MACHINE Filed Oct. 50. 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 8, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CARTER A. WILLIS, GORDON J. WILLIS, AND REUBEN M. WILLIS, F GI-IANUTE, SAS, ASSIGNORS TO THE 1V ILLIS DRILLING MACHINE AND MANUFACTURING 'GOMZIPANY, OF CHANUTE, KANSAS, A CORPORATION OF KANSAS v DRILLING MACHINE Application filed October 30, 19-29.

Our invention relates to drilling machines and more particularly'to that type of machine known as a spudding machine.

An object of the present invention is to provide a spudding machine wherein the drilling line or cable is permitted to reciprocate freely, this being due to the fact that the line does not have to be trained over a multiplicity of guide pulleys.

A further object of this invention is to provide a spudding machine whereby the drill cable will not be subjected to undue strain.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a machine of this character in which the sand reel and drill cable drum are arranged to be driven from a common drive.

NVith the preceding and other objects and advantages in mind, the invention consists in the novel combination of elements, con structions and arrangements of parts and operations to be hereinafter more fully described, claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a drilling machine construction in accordance with this invention;

Fig.2 is a side elevation of the machine; Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary v1evv partly in elevation and partly in section; and Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevation of the machine.

Referring to the invention in detail a conventional derrick 5 is provided and journalled in the lower end thereof is a drill cable drum 6 upon which the drill cable 7 is adapted to be wound, the latter extending vertically and being trained over a pulley 8 carried by the upper end of the derrick.

A main power shaft 9 is "arranged above the drum '6 and is journalled in bearings 10 attached to the derrick. Supported below the power shaft 9 is acounter shaft 11 whose ends are received in eccentric'bearings 12 so that the counter shaft may be moved toward and away from the shaft 9. A friction drive gear 13 is fixed to oneend of the shaft 9 while a small friction gear 14 is fixed to the counter shaft 11 so as to make contact with gear 13.

In order to move the counter shaft eccentrically to engage or disengage the friction Serial No. 403,616.

gear 14 to and fromthe friction gear 13 an arm 16 is fixed to one of the eccentric bearings 12. A hand lever 17 is mounted on one side of the derrick and is connected with the arm16 by a link 18. It will be apparent that upon movement of the hand lever. 17 in one direction the counter shaft will be raised to bringthe friction gearl-t into contact with the friction gear 13 as disclosed in Fig. 3. To afford a driving connection between the counter shaft 11 and the drum 6 a gear 19 is keyed to the counter shaft and is adapted to engage a large gear20 fixed to one end of the drum 6. The gear 19 is provided with a grooved collar 19a which is engaged by a yoke 21. A hand wheel 22 is revolubly mounted on the derrick to one side of thegear 19 and eccentrically connected thereto is a link 23 having one, end operativelyconne'cted with the yoke 21. It will be apparent that upon rotation of the hand wheel in one direction the gear 19 will he slid into engagement with, the gear 20 and that upon rotation of the hand wheel inthe reverse. direction this gear will be disengaged from the gear 20.

For the purpose of controlling the rotation of the drum 6 when the drill cable and'tool are being lowered into the well a brake mechanism is provide-dcomprising a brakedrum 24 fixed to one end of the drum 6 and a brake band 25 encircling the same. One end of the brake band is anchored as at 26 while its opposite end is connected with a crank shaft 27 journalled on the base of the derrick. One end of the crank shaft is provided with a hand lever 28 which is operable to tension the brake band about the drum.

A horizontal sand reel 29 is journalled in the derrick above the shaft 9 and fixed to one end thereof is a friction drive gear 30 adapted to be brought into engagement with the friction gear 13 as'disclosed in Fig. 3. The sand reel is mounted in the same manner as the shaft 11 and fixed to one end thereof is an i, arm 31. The arm 31 is operatively connected with a hand lever 32 supported adjacent the hand lever 1-7, by means of a relatively long link 33. Thus when it is desired to drive the sand reel, the lever 32 is actuated to shift the sand reel in a direction to engage the friction m9 drive 30 with the friction gear 13. The sand reel isprevented from overspeeding by a spring pressed shoe 34 which bears against the friction gear 30.

A cable 35 is adapted to be wound upon the sand reel and extends vertically of the derrick as disclosed in Fig. 2. The cable 35 is trained over-a pulley 36 mounted in the upper end of the derrick below the pulley 8. A conventional bailer 37 is suspended from the lower end of the cable. Normally the sand reel drive gear is elevated so that it will not be driven. However, when it is desired to raise the bailer from the well the sand reel drive gear is lowered to the contact position disclosed in Fig. 2.

The invention provides a spudder for reciprocating the drill cable and drill tool. The spudder comprises a bell crank lever embodying-a pair of parallel spaced L-shaped bars 38. The bell crank lever is arranged between the opposite sides of the derrick and is movable about a horizontal shaft 39 supported by the derrick slightly above the sand reel. As disclosed particularly in Fig. 4 the right angular part of the bars 38 are braced by brace rods 39a attached to these parts. The vert cal leg of the bell crank lever carries a pair of guide pulleys 40 which are offset from each other to engage the opposite sides of the cable 7. A relatively large pulley 41 is eccentrically mounted on a horizontal shaft 42 passing transversely through the horizontal branch of the bell crank lever.

An endless belt 43 is trained about the pulley 41 and extends downwardly and engages with a drive pulley '44 rotatable on but capable of being fixed to rotate with the power shaft 9, the power shaft having a driven pulley 45 which is engaged by an endless belt 46 driven from any suitable power source.

' For the purpose of connecting the drive pulley 44 to the power shaft 9 a friction clutch 47 is mounted on the shaft and is adapted to engage a clutch face 48 provided at one end of'pulley 44. The clutch 47 is provided with a grooved collar 47a, the clutch and collar being slidably keyed to'the shaft 9. A suitable hand lever 49 v and suitable linkage is provided for actuating the friction clutch 47 through grooved collar 47a.

In the operation of the spudder, rotation of the eccentrically' mounted pulley 41 continuously rocks the bell crank lever about its a-xis 39. 'In this connection it is pointed out that the endless belt 43 passing around the pulley 44 and eccentrically mounted pulley 41 constantly causes the axis 42 to shift and thus rock the bell crankon its axis 39. By reason of the rollers 40 engaging the cable 7 at opposite sides, the latter is alternately tensioned and released to reciprocate the drill tool attached thereto.

To facilitate moving the machine from one well to'another the derrick is mounted on a wheeled carriage 48.

hat is claimed:

1. In a spudding machine, a derrick, a drill cable supported from the upper end thereof and extended downwardly, a drum supported at the lower end of the derrick upon which the cable is adapted to be wound, a rocker arm movable about a horizontal axis and operable to alternately lift and drop the cable, a rotatable element eccentrically mounted on said arm for continuously actuating the rocking member, and means for rotating said element.

2. In a spudding machine, a derrick, a drum journalledthereon, a cable to be wound about said drum and trained over the upper end of the derrick, a bell crank lever pivotallysupported on the derrick for movement about a horizontal axis, means for rockingthe bell crank lever including an eccentrically mounted driven pulley member carried by one arm thereof.

3. In a spudding machine, a derrick, a drum ournalled thereon, a cable to be wound about said drum and trained over the upper end of the derrick, a bell crank lever pivotally supported on the derrick for movement about a horizontal axis, means for rocking the bell crank lever, and a roller carried by the bell crank lever and operable to alternately raise the cable and permit the same to ,fall, such means including a rotatable member eccentrically'mounted on the bell crank lever.

4. In combination, a drill derrick, a cable trained over the derrick, a bellcrank lever supported on the derrick for movement about a horizontal axis, rollers carried by one leg ofthe bell crank lever and disposed upon opposite sides of the cable, a rotatable element eccentrically carried by the other leg of the bell crank lever, a driven pulley arranged along therotatable element, and an endless belt engaged with the pulley and rotatable element whereby to impart rocking motionto the bell crank lever;

.5.-A drilling machine including a derrick and a cable supported therefrom, a rocking member adapted to alternately lift and drop said cable, a pulley mounted on said rocking member, a drive pulley, one of said pulleys being eccentrically mounted, and a driving belt trained over said pulleys.

6. In combination a derrick, a cable trained 'thereover, a bell crank lever pivoted intermediate the ends of one arm thereof for movement about a horizontal axis, cable ongaging means carried by said arm, and means for rocking the bell crank lever including an eccentrically mounted rotatable element carried by the other arm thereof.

7. In a spudder, a derrick, a drum supported thereby, a drill cable to be wound upon such drum and trained over the upper end of the derrick a bell crank lever pivotally supported 0n the derrick for movement about ahorizontal axis, rollers carried by one leg of the bell crank lever and engaging the opposite faces of the cable, and means for rocking the bell crank lever whereby to alternatingly engage the rollers with the cable to rock the same, and subsequently permit the same to fall, such means including a rotatls; able member eccentrically mounted on the bell crank lever.

Ill

CARTER A. WILLIS. GORDON J. WVILLIS. REUBEN M. VILLIS. 

